Table 3 Comparison of the baseline characteristics of ADA-positive and ADA-negative SLE patients

Patient characteristics

 Age (years, median (IQR))

34.0 (25.9–40.8)

44.3 (32.7–56.3)

0.002

 Sex (Females, n, %)

27 (87.1)

33 (94.2)

0.66

 Disease duration (years, median (IQR))

4.14 (1.18–10.08)

9.19 (5.71–16.93)

0.0097

Disease activity

 SLEDAI-2 K (median (IQR))

14.0 (10.0–18.5)

8.0 (6.0–14.0)

0.017

Laboratory data

 Total leukocytes (N cells/mm³ median (IQR))

6.3 (4.1–8.1)

7.1 (4.7–9.5)

0.53

 Total lymphocytes (N cells/mm³ median (IQR))

0.98 (0.54–1.47)

0.85 (0.5–1.52)

0.74

 CD19 + cells (%, median (IQR))

8.0 (5.25–14.5)

6.0 (2.5–11.5)

0.17

 CD19 + cells (N × 10^9/L, median (IQR))

0.065 (0.03–0.15)

0.05 (0.03–0.085)

0.21

Treatments

 Concomitant CS pulses, % (n)

60.0 (15)

53.6 (22)

0.61

 Concomitant cyclophosphamide, % (n)

56.0 (14)

53.6 (22)

0.85

 Cumulative dose of concomitant cyclophosphamide (mg, (median (IQR))

1200 (950–1600)

1000 (1000–1600)

0.81

 Previous cyclophosphamide, % (n)

60.0 (15)

60.0 (25)

0.93

 Cumulative dose of previous cyclophosphamide (mg, median (IQR))

6700 (4500–10000)

6000 (3000–9150)

0.58

 Corticosteroids at baseline, % (n)

92 (23)

92.6 (38)

0.91

 Total corticosteroid dose at baseline (mg, median (IQR))

12.5 (10–17.5)

15.0 (7.5–20.0)

0.73

 Antimalarial treatment at baseline, % (n)

36.0 (9)

43.9 (18)

0.53

 DMARDs at baseline (AZA, MMF, MTX), n

0/4/1

6/5/2

n/a

Rituximab treatment (from baseline)

 Schedule of RTX (n, 375 mg/m² × 4, 1 g × 2, 500 mg × 2))

14/10/1

24/14/3

1.00

 Cumulative dose of RTX at first course (mg, median (IQR))

2100 (2000–2650)

2400 (2000–2800)

0.33